By JOE JAROSZ
Northeast News
April 30, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – If you ask Bobbi Baker Hughes to talk about something she’s passionate about, she won’t say no.

So when several city council members ran into Hughes at a recent area luncheon, they asked her to give a presentation at the city’s April 24, business session about the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District [CID]. Hughes couldn’t wait to tell the council, minus an absent Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Circo and council member Scott Taylor, about all the good news.

The biggest news, Hughes said, is that by the end of April, the CID is completely debt free, going so far as to bring the last check the CID owes the city to the business session personally. She thanked Scott Wagner, first district at-large council member, for his help with the CID/Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) Revolving Loan Fund. With the revolving loan, the CID was able to borrow money from the city and worked with officials on a repayment plan.

“Now we know another organization can benefit like the Northeast was able to,” Hughes said.

After giving a brief history on the CID, Hughes spoke about recent community clean-ups, the Take Charge Leadership class and the Avenue Angels, the nickname given to the Titan Security officers who patrol Independence Avenue. She said the angels work with the Kansas City Police Department to cut down trespassers, graffiti and other crimes in the Northeast area. Beginning this week, four more Urban Ambassadors will be added to the CID’s roster to continue cleaning and beautifying the Avenue.

“Our next project is to find street level offices to be more visible,” Hughes said.

After she wrapped up her presentation, several council members thanked Hughes for her presentation and hard work with the CID. Council member Ed Ford also made sure to heap praise upon Wagner for taking the initiative with the revolving loan.

“The Independence Avenue CID has been a real success and a good investment for the city,” Ford said.